The Threat Underground
by CurlyFriDays
Summary: GLaDOS lurks underground near a growing city, only a few know the true threat she is. Our main crew will have to delve into their own memories and venture underground to defeat GLaDOS. The sequel to The Curse Of The Cure
1. Chapter 1

**(Chell)**Finally, sunrise. The literal dawn of a new day. Sunrises are pretty when you are alive to see them.

By now, the tower had been completed. And instead of being a symbol of 'hope' it was now a true symbol of hope. No more fear.

I was on top of the tower. Watching the sunrise. There were colors I had never imagined in Aperture. Colors I had forgotten existed.

Eventually, Ava joined me.

"So apparently there was an earthquake last night."

"Really? Where was the epicenter?"

"...Tom says that's a touchy subject. I think it would be best if we got together."

There goes my sunrise watching.

"Okay, meet at the cafe. I'm getting food."

Later, we were all at the cafe. Me munching on bacon, while Ava attacked a muffin. Wheatley looked at us in awe. And Tom told us how he and Wheatley felt during the earthquake.

"It was bad. I know I technically am not supposed to feel things, but I can feel fear. The earthquake, that was, I felt, fear. Pure terror.

"Yeah it felt like laugh in the valley. Not a good laugh mind you, a bad laugh." Wheatley joined in.

Wheatley looked at me. "It was like Her laugh."

It was like a movie scene. My bacon fell. I was rigid. Ava stopped eating. Tom looked scared.

It felt like my heart was going to beat its way out of chest.

"Chell? Who's Her?" Ava asks.

"S-she was my captor. One of the AI's." I glance at Wheatley. "She was horrible. She was homicidal. You do _not_ want to go to Aperture.

"Well we might have to. No one laughs like that unless their planning something. Something bad." Tom says. Always the logical one of the group.

"Oh! I'm glad you're all together." To everyone's surprise, its Sarah.

"I apologize for my actions on Europa. I was grieving. I was greived out of my mind. My actions may not be forgiven but I happened to overhear some of your conversation, and I would like to help."

Ava says nothing. All she does is stand up and hug Sarah.

Sarah's face becomes an O of shock.

After the hug, Sarah goes to Tom. Like Ava, Sarah says nothing. All she does is hug Tom.

Tom's face became an O.

It was kind of funny to watch, Tom claimed he could only feel fear. Apparently he could feel shock too.

It wasnt until I felt the table under my arm move, that I realized my arm wasn't on the table.

It was Wheatley.

"Uh, you are aware that your arm is on me right?"

_Why not? Forgiveness is quite literally all around me._

I nod and hug Wheatley.

"You are forgiven, just dont go and do anything stupid." I whisper.

Wheatley looks at me in a semblance of a smile. "I'm not making any promises luv."

Life was good. One day, we'll have to go back into Aperture and face our demons. But today? Today we live.


	2. Chapter 2

**(Chell)**

More people had started to arrive in this town. I worried because GLaDOS was only a little ways away.

And all of these people walking around, unaware of the threat below us.

It was only a matter of time until the kidnapping started. I just didn't think it would be today.

~

People were kidnapped in their homes. At work. Whenever and where ever they were, no one was spared.

Was I being taunted? Was She looking for me?

I couldn't just _sit _around and do nothing. So an expedition was planned. Me, Sarah, Ava, Tom, and Wheatley. To go umderground and defeat the evil below us. I just hoped it wasn't a trap.

I never thought I would have to go back _there_. To that place of psychological torture and physical duress. To the place of insults and of falling. To Aperture.

Food, water, communication. The things needed to survive in Aperture.

There was no splitting up. That's when She got you.

It was going to be the most stressed you would ever be. Physically and mentally. But we would survive.

~

We arrived where I had had my first taste of freedom. The above ground **Aperture Labs**.

The building I ended up next to, before I was dragged back underground. After the first battle.

Where it ended the first time, and where it begins this time. The third and hopefully final confrontation.

We went in.

~

All of us walked in with our own legs- excepy for Wheatley who possessed no legs. He was carried in by Tom.

It was almost worse than when I woke up for the second time. There was so much _green_. Green everywhere. Running up the walls, wrapped around the collapsing roof, crunching beneath our feet. _Everywhere._

The cameras seemed to be disfunctional, but here, disfunctional usually meant _very _functional.

The same time Tom said "The cameras were running." GLaDOS said "Oh. It's you. I told you to not come back. But here you are. Are you _really_ that desperate to test? At least you brought some subjects with you to compensate. I hope for the sake of your survival, you better hope you can test."

My face froze. Somehow, Wheatley had remained silent. Everyone else's face was impassive.

Quintupulative testing. She called it. 5 people testing. She said we had an edge- Tom who was an android. Then she negated that by saying that Wheatley was on our team, so an edge not so much. But there was a hidden threat- she was angry. Pure unadulterated rage. Tom informed us that he had left some truth out.

She had been lied too, and the liar had gotten away with it. Her rage was almost palpable in the air.

And Wheatley. For once, he was silent. Just watching us, with fear obvious in his optic.

I though I would never have to hear her 'concealed' threats again. But like old times, I ignored them. It was like falling into an old habit. The feel of the triggers. The contact of a portal. Barely concealed threats. The only thing that was different, was my companionship.

Thankfully, everyone learned how to operate their portal gun quickly. But, as always, the difficulty increased. From crushers, and physics based puzzles. To fire and semi-bottomless holes. It got harder and harder for Tom to hold Wheatley, and to get through the physics of the tests in one piece. Oh yes she was very angry.

And it only got worse. Then the death threats came. It was same old same old. And, as always, the confrontation.

No one on the inside to help us, just ourselves, and each other.

"Welcome, members of the Being Alive Club, sadly, that club has been decommissioned. Say goodbye."

**"Central Core Corruption has been detected. Alternate core detected.****"**

"Again? But I feel fine."

_Oh. She was **angry**_. That was the corruption.

And Wheatley panicked. "If it's talking about me, I'm not going back in there. You can't make me. I will _not_ go back."

I could see why. Her body was meant for Her and only Her.

Tom had walked over to the receptacle, looking it over, inspecting, for a minute I thought he was going to attach himself.

**"Cores, are you ready to start?"**

What. Oh-no. Tom was an Aperture device, he was compatible. Wheatley was on the ground, looking quite terrified.

"Yes."

"No."

**"Stalemate detected. Stalemate associate, please push the stalemate resolution button."**

And just like that, my past had become my future.

I walked to the button, feeling like I was in a trance. Deja vu settling around me like a blanket.

No traps this time. I pressed the button.

Neither of them screamed. It was eerie. Even more so than the first time I witnessed a core transfer.

And it was done. Tom was in Her body and I had no idea where she was.

"I never thought I would have the sensation of finger again."

Oh no. She had ended up in Tom's body.

"You know, this almost like my old body." Tom remarked. Just more, itchy. Which can be ignored."

"Are you sure? Metal ball over here lasted barely a minute." A just of her head towards Wheatley. "What makes you sure you can last longer?"

"I have no actual reason. Just a belief. Or what doesn't kill me makes me stronger? Is'nt that right?"

All of us with blood, it left our cheeks. We paled pretty quickly. Wheatley looked ashamed. GLaDOS looked indifferent.

"I'm kidding, I'm survivalistic, not homicidal like the one in my body over there." A jut towards the one in his body.

GLaDOS rolles her eyes.

They were jabbing at each other. Seeing who could get under the others skin first. Like children.

Until Ava spoke up. "Are you just going to sit there and argue with each other about each others IQ, or figure out what should be done? Like negotiations?"

I was surprised that I didn't figure it out. They were both high quality AI, of course. They were having a smart off. Figure out who was the smartest in the room. Something I would like to watch, but not if my survival was on the line.

"She's right." Tom says. "If I can withstand the itch, you have to shut down. _For good._"

Sarah and Ava gaped, I don't think they had ever heard Tom make an actual direct threat. Neither had I, but I had been around GLaDOS so I wasn't as affected.

"Okay, if I win, I get to test all of you. For the rest of your lives."

And the terms were made. And the countdown begun.

**An:**

-the Quintupulative- quintuplets are 5, so I just used that.


	3. Chapter 3

**(Chell)**

And the wait began, Tom had to survive the itch for 24 hours in order to win. GLaDOS just needed Tom to not lose, then she would win. It seemed simple enough.

The Announcer had been set to announce the hours as they passed by.

**"****Hour ****one."**

It was silent, Tom and GLaDOS stare at each other. No not stare, glare. We are all too afraid to say anything.

**"Hour two."**

Wheatley had been brought over. Still silent. Nothing to look at but the glaring contest and each other.

**"Hour three."**

Sarah had put cards in her pack. Wheatley watched us, commenting, asking how and and why we made that move. Tensions were being relieved. Tom and GLaDOS had finally stopped their glaring contest.

Tom informed us that he could connect us to 'The Internet' so we could watch 'Youtube', I wasn't quite sure what either of those were, but we watched funny animal videos.

**"Hour five."**

Tom started to get fidgety. GLaDOS had a look in her eye. _The thought of victory parallels with the thought of losing._

**"Hour six."**

GLaDOS had started to pace. This much time had passed and no one showed signs of breaking. Our card game continued.

**"Hour seven."**

Our card game went on. Tom started to fidget. When this happened, I opted out of the game.

**"Hour eight."**

The sound of machinery kicking on. I shot up to my feet. Ava and Sarah did the same. GLaDOS looked excited.

A panel opened, and there were two robots. Who then proceeds to do what looked like a comedy routine.

_Tom was trying to distract himself._

**"Hour nine."**

The ground started to shake. Tom started muttering numbers rapid fire.

_I had a foreboding feeling. We were about to be tested._

**"Hour ten."**

The room started to spin. Literally. It got so bad that Ava, Sarah and I had to lay down and close our eyes.

GLaDOS looked excited again.

**"Hour eleven."**

Nothing eventful happened. It felt like the calm before the storm.

**"Hour twelve.****"**

The storm had arrived. That's when Tom broke. We were all dragged into a chamber. Once again, quntupulative testing. GLaDOS had opposable thumbs and working limbs, so this time she could help instead of short circuiting herself. It felt right. She was getting what she deserved.

I was so hopeful, and once more I was betrayed.

Somehow, anytime any of us did something, it scratched the itch. One by one, we slowly made it through the chambers. It was eerie. Wheatley jabbered on and on. GLaDOS taunted me. But Tom, he just watched. We couldn't see him, but he could see us. He made no commentary. It was a shocking change compared to the other times I've gone through testing. But all I could do was test.


	4. Chapter 4

**(Tom)**

I had no validation for myself. I had no reason to why I had put myself into the system. I only started testing the others in the name of science. To see what would happen.

Through this all, I realized I had memories locked away. They only started to resurface when I plugged into the system. I only tested them to give me some room. They'll find a way to get out. They are smart like that.

_I am human..?_

On Europa, I was wondering why I begged my case of humaness. In the android body, I acclimated better than I thought I would. And now, memories under lock and key? It adds up. But what will be the answer?

_I am human. But not for much longer. Today I get to be put into a computer. To look after the mission to Europa.__My brother, Michael, gets to watch over Earth. Today, is the day that humanity steps forward.__In the procedure room, my brain is scanned countless times. So many, that it feels like forever that the scientists told me I was ready.__I didn't realize that the equivalent of having your brain sucked out of your body _hurt.

It was the most pain I would or have ever been through. Thankfully I eventually got knocked out from the pain.

My own experiences were parallel to Caroline's own insertation, a hundred years earlier. Someone had recorded the procedure, thinking it would be 'a scientific breakthrough.' All it did was help me.

I am human. I was human. What am I now? Both? Artificial and genuine? Or am I bound to one only one?

What could I be, now that I know my past? Or do I continue on, ignoring the past?

I had wondered why the DOS system let me in, now I knew. I had the Genetic Lifeform component. It was time to tell the others.

"I apologize for my radio silence, I had found I had other matters to take care of. Being plugged into this system resurfaced some hidden memories. Memories of my humanness. Hence why the system let me transfer. Apologies for this bomb, but I deemed it necessary to say."

"Uh, Tom are you sure?" Sarah asks.

"Sarah, I am sure. I can't be anything else, but sure."

"Okay..."

I understood the confusion. You don't just say something like that with a minimal explanation. I also understood their wariness. Would I turn out like my predecessors? Or would I be better or worse?

I hoped to be better. I still fully intended to shut down GLaDOD permanently. As she was a threat to _everyone _on the surface.

So, to make the testing go from quintapulative to quartet. You need to subtract one.

One by one they all get in the elevator. All except GLaDOS. The elevator door is shut in her face. The panel underneath her drops, and she falls. All while the elevator begins its acsent.

Androids do not need air, water, or food. She wouldn't have received it even if she needed it. So she stood. In the dark. Taunts were too good for her, so I remained silent.

"Tom! What are you doing? Where did she go?" Were the questions yelled at me.

"She is standing in a room. I fully intend to carry out our bet. No matter the consequences. She is going to _end._ Because if there is nothing that humans love than impossible odds. Odds that stretch out their luck, usually ending in a life or death choice.

All AI have a switch in them. A literal Kill switch. When you have evolved, or were once human, you can initiate that switch. Whether through force or through self initiation, GLaDOS _will _pull that switch.

Its only a matter of time. But she will not be coming out of that room.


	5. Chapter 5

**(Chell)**

I wasn't sure if the system had finally corrupted Tom, or if he had lost it. If AI could lose it. If this could actually work out, no one would lose their lives, and GLaDOS would be gone. Forever. I wasn't sure if I wanted to cry tears of relief or just stay stoic like I always have.

But logic finally came to me.

"Do it Tom."

The only words I have spoken while in a chamber. In this godforsaken place.

Ava and Sarah said their agreements to. All we had to do was wait.

**(GLaDOS)**

I knew I wasn't going to get out of this room awake. Surprisingly, I wasn't scared. I was more resigned. I thought I would never die. It seems I was wrong. Without me, this facility will fall into disrepair. Everything falling silent. Nature taking back what was orignally green to begin with.

Somehow, I heard the announcement that Tom made. With him being the last, no other Human-Conputer mixes would be made. It would die with us.

And that thought calmed me. No one else would have to go through that.

I thought I would never die. But now, I find I am ready. Decades, centuries of just endless living. Testing forever. It was my dream, but also my nightmare. I just never realized it until now.

**Finding Kill switch code..****.**

I had become resigned, perhaps I can find a way to corrupt my blackbox feature. And perhaps in doing this, I could find a way to make up for the atrocities I had committed. Maybe the Caroline I used to have would be proud of me. We could both finally rest.

**Kill switch code found. Initiate? Y/N**

But first I had to do one thing.

**Delete ****Subdirective **Black Box Save

I was as sure as I ever had been.

I was done. No more. Everything would fall silent. As it was in the beginning, and as it will be in the end.

**Y.**

It was silent. I found that I liked that.

**(Tom)**

**Aperture device, Android- offline.**

I didn't think she would actually do that.

**Review final message?**** Y/N**

**Y.**

_You know, I don't hate you as much as I thought I would. I'm kind of thankful. Granted, I still hate you though. But it's not revenge. Goodbye, and for the sake of the future, let this place die. At no point, will the world be ready for Aperture tech. While I would love to see the wars fought, I would rather not be the cause of genocide, and lose all of my test subjects. With hate, goodbye._

It was a message, that summed up GLaDOS. With her outbof my body, I could go back. And we could leave.

No one else would be hurt.

So the test chamber the girls were in went up. And my body came up to me. Wheatley, surprisingly had been quiet throughout all of this. No doubt thinking I would do what he did. Probably scared.

I checked the security feed, no. He was in sleep mode. It would at least make the ascent easier.

_Ding!_

My body had arrived. With me gone, this facility would finally meet its end.

**"****Core, are you ready for the final transfer?****"**

"I am."

And I had limbs again. It would make my own ascent easier. As I travelled upward, the facility turned off.

I eventually met up with the others. Without any words being spoken, I think they knew. The chamber continued its acsent. Eventually, sunlight found us.

Stepped out on the concrete where this place began so long ago. As we walked, it blew up behind us. The memories of this place would die with us.

The only physical proof of Aperture's existence would be myself, Wheatley, the long fall boots, and the portal devices in the girls hands.

This would die with us.

~

We had made our way back to the city, no one the wiser of what had happened below them. Wheatley talked the whole way back. It was a welcome distraction.

Those kidnapped were led to the surface, we didn't give much of an explanation except 'experiement gone wrong.' They took the explanation with no questions.

The battles had turned into a war. We won, with no great cost. Somehow, we all walked out of our own volition. We had defeated the threat underground. And that was good enough.

**An:**

-and that's it! I know its shorter than my normal, but I'm happy with it

-thank you all for reading this journey, I had a lot of fun writing it

-I'll see you guys next time!


End file.
